There is no way that we can begin to understand God’s Ways without having an Eternal Perspective in life. The devil knows this, & that is why he is all about getting us to have a laser focus on the here and now, and the short term pleasures and securities of having a life lasting ONLY 80-100 years. This kind of perspective translates to a life building and fulfilling aspirations that have an “Expire Date” stamped on them. And as we get closer to this date, our heart/mind/life will have some kind of a forlornness rattling around inside. Part of the reason for this forlornness is that we are created to be Eternal, even if we don’t reckon it as true. Even though we are Eternal beings, unfortunately once Adam and Eve sinned every one of their progeny must taste death! We are still Eternal beings, having one of two Eternal destinations! God’s greatest desire is for everyone’s Eternal destination to be with Him in Heaven. But because of our being infected by sin, HE is our only HOPE to have our ultimate destination be with HIM in Heaven. Since the arrogant deceitfulness of Satan introduced the virus of sin into the life of humankind, all of us will taste the sting of death. But God’s Original Plan for us to be Eternal beings has never changed. And THIS is the reason for the Birth/Life/Teachings/Sufferings/Death/Resurrection/Ascension of Jesus! For us to be saved from the Eternal Consequences of sin, God gave us the ONLY Escape through The Provisions of The Gospel of Christ! Throughout history God has made every creative effort there is to get the attention of all humankind so we would wake up to the TRUE significances of our Eternality! The major TRUTH being that because of the infinite nastiness of sin, there is a HELL that is the only place where sin may remain throughout Eternity! Along with this TRUTH is the fact God’s Original Plan for us to be Eternal Residents of His Heaven has not been thwarted by sin! God offers to everyone HIS saving Mercy&Grace through Christ! And throughout all history God has sovereignly been behind the scenes making every effort to alert humankind to the desperate plight we are born into because of sin. HE has allowed humankind to see the tip of the iceberg of the nastiness and misery of sin...,& because of God’s Ultimate Concern to wake us up before it is too late, HE has allowed humankind to see horrible results of sin via awful disasters and the inhumanities brought on by the arrogant rebellions of sin. God does this for our own Eternal Good! All the sufferings we may go through, if they wake us up to the Eternal Significance of God’s Pleading to accept HIS Saving Mercy&Grace through Christ...and for our Eternal Destination to change from Hell to Heaven...all of the sufferings then become the most valuable “eye-opening” events of our life...if we just open our eyes to what God’s Heart is pleading for us to receive from HIM->HIS Love! This was the purpose for the 10 plagues that the Pharaoh of Egypt suffered when God sent Moses before him 10 times! Yet Pharaoh’s ego & arrogance kept him from genuinely honoring God’s request every time. In The Book of The Revelation of Christ, all of the Seals, the Trumpets, Bowls of Wrath have the same purpose->giving everyone one last opportunity to accept TRUTH->THE TRUTH THAT GOD IS GOD,& JESUS IS LORD OF LORDS & KING OF KINGS! Satan fully knows the significance of THIS TRUTH! And he has been setting his stage for ultimate denial of THIS TRUTH by getting humankind century after century to swallow little UNtruths bit by bit for thousands of years....making us like the frog that placed in a kettle of room temperature water will never notice the increasing of temperature as it comes to the boil that kills. Same with being placed in a world environment that accepts little lie after little lie...and year after year Satan turns up the heat on lies so humankind stands little chance of knowing THE ULTIMATE TRUTHS about Eternity, & ESPECIALLY God’s Rescue from Hell...,unless we determine in our hearts/minds/lives to seek to know and honor TRUTH. And all TRUTH begins with the ONLY Eternally Trusted Source of TRUTH that has always been-> Proverbs 1:7,”The fear of (REVERENCE OF) the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” We must “begin at the right place (REVERENCE OF THE LORD) & then continue from that right place....seeking to know ever more about what God says about TRUTH and HIS WAYS. If we do, then the devil has little room in our hearts/minds/lives to introduce his little lies that make room for bigger and bigger lies. Rev18:4 is God making this plea-> “And I heard a loud voice from Heaven saying,' ‘Come out of her (away from the temptations/lies of sin), my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive her plagues (terminal impact of sin).” In the middle of the challenges and temptations of our life, GOD is PERSONALLY making this plea to us...turn to Him and Seek His TRUTH and His Ways. Dear Lord, I pray for You to help me respond to Your plea...to know Your Mercy&Grace in the innermost parts of my life...and for Your Truths to root out of my life all of the lies that I have allowed to enter into the core of my heart/mind/life..& fill these spaces with The Truths about You and Your Love for me.